Bargaining Chip
by NoteEmmy
Summary: The spirit needs something to keep Ryou under his heel. While searching in his soul room for something to use, he comes across something his host had been trying to keep secret.


His host's consciousness was getting tougher to shut off, the spirit was finding. It was troublesome. Subduing Ryou had to be something easy for him to do. He had to be able to snuff him out and resume control of the body in record time else he'd risk getting noticed. He couldn't have that. Not yet. He had to be able to take control whenever he pleased. To be unable to do so was unacceptable. There were no other host bodies he could find at that moment to jump to, however. His previous plans of doing as such had been thwarted.

This left him with only one option, and that was to find dirt. He couldn't really do anything to harm his host without hurting his own chances of drifting by and setting things up to fruition. It was getting harder to step over stones the more Ryou resisted him. He was becoming a pest. Much as he hated it, though, he was still responsible for the body at the very least. Hurting him physically was out of the question. It probably wouldn't be a very good deterrent anyway.

No. He had to find something much more detrimental. So once he kicked Ryou's consciousness to the curb once more, and through an entire series of kicking and screaming, he went in search. His host's soul room was plain. Very simple. Neutral with dark corners. It left him feeling very agitated. What sorts of drawers could he open, or tables could he overturn? Shaadi had that damn key.. that would have been useful right about now.

There was a rustle by a thick, red draped curtain. Something that should have been housing a window but all that sat there was an empty frame. Was that how Ryou saw his future? No hope? A cruel smirk tugged at the spirit's lips. He was well to blame for that, he was sure. Would he find some sort of phantom version of himself waiting to stab him behind it?

"Come out." He teased, low tone. He'd be very ready to vanquish any thoughts his host had of his own darkness. Perhaps then he could control him easier.

What appeared, however, was a shock to his core. It came first with a sneeze- a very tiny, quiet sneeze. As if moving those drapes had unearthed dust. A long ago memory, then? Then he saw some tiny white shoes with perfectly fluffed bows, in which were cleanly white socks ending at mid calf with tiny blue bows. He sneered at the image. Someone hiding. Someone small. Maybe it was his host's younger image.

He wasted no more time, stepping forward and seizing the curtain so that he could rip it away. Standing there staring up at him with wide, terrified brown eyes was a very little girl. She matched the shoes she wore. Short, muted pink, feathered hair and a delicate face. She looked as if she were about to cry. Who she was, the spirit had no clue. Ryou had shut out his earlier memories from him some time ago. Then again, that's what he'd been in here to find, hadn't it?

The little girl cowered against the window sill as he crouched, holding out his hand to her face. She twitched, twisting away from him. "Stop that." He commanded, though it was soft. Children were easy enough to deal with. Offer them something shiny or some candy and they'd believe anything you had to say. When she sniffled but stood a bit straighter and aimed her attention back at him he rewarded her with a pat to the head. "Good girl."

Her hands clasped in front of her pristine clothing, wringing tightly. "Nii-chan… has scary eyes today…" Her voice was nothing more than a soft little whisper. But the rest of her appearance became inconsequential when the spirit realized what she'd dubbed him-

And by association what that meant. Nii-chan, was it? So. Ryou had had a baby sister he'd been hiding for quite some time. He gave her another gentle pet. "Nii-chan needs you to listen and listen good." When she seemed hesitant he frowned at her withdrawing his hand. Her whining was more than enough cue that he'd already hooked her. "Will you listen to me?" She sniffled, rubbing at her eyes before nodding and coming closer to get his hand back to her. He obliged.

"I'll listen." Tearfully said as she reached her tiny fingers up to wrap around one of his hands.

He smiled best as he could, trying not to warp it into a smirk. The spirit found this was much more difficult for him than it should have been. "Good. I need-" He was stopped as she reached up, tugging at his hair, a grunt leaving him. It wasn't like she had any real strength but the move had been expected. "Stop that."

"Nii-chan has bed head." She seemed slightly delighted about it, smiling for the first time.

The spirit rolled his eyes and took her small hands in his. "I said stop and listen to me." Those wide eyes took note of his and he observed her pout but at least she'd stopped. "I need you to do anything I ask. Do you understand?" It would be easy to dangle her in front of Ryou, broken and battered… but.. she was a child yet…

She nodded. "Yes." A small uncomfortable shift. "But can we color today?"

He had a feeling she'd rescind her acquiescence if he didn't play up the part. It was okay for now but he couldn't disappear for this long to play with her. It was a real shame that Ryou had covered her up to protect her instead of spending time with her memory. Oh well. "Just this once."

As her arms enveloped half of him in a hug he sighed outward. This was probably more trouble than it was going to be worth. But if he could use her to his advantage, to keep his host quiet when he needed him to be, then things would pan out. Another notch in a long line of planning. "Nii-chan is forgetful today." He murmured. "Do you have a name?" A careless question but he couldn't keep himself from asking.

"It's okay." She said as if this really wasn't a big deal. "Ah-mah-ne." Saying it slow, muffled by his shirt since she'd still refused to let him go.

"Amane, is it?" He was sure her mere name would send his host to his knees. Maybe that would be all he'd need. He could put this girl back behind the curtain and forget her actual existence. It was probably best that way. But for now…

"Get your crayons."


End file.
